Described is a method to communicate to a third party information for part of an electronic form that cannot be competed and then to incorporate returned information into the electronic form. In various embodiments, while filling in an electronic form, a requestor requests assistance in the form of information from a third party such as a supervisor. The requestor specifies a range of the part requiring assistance, and copies the partial form into a field of a message. An agent acquires information concerning the partial form based on the copy operation. The message including the information on the partial form is sent to the third party. The third party inputs information into an input field concerning the input request and returns the partial form in a message. The agent incorporates the information included in the returned message into the original electronic form.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer-implemented method of inputting information into an electronic form, the method comprising: specifying by an operator a range of a part of an electronic form having an input field for which third party information is to be obtained from a third party; automatically generating a partial form in a message field of an electronic message, the partial form having the input field for the third party information; sending the electronic message to the third party; after the third party receives the electronic message, inputting the third party information into an input field of a return electronic message, sending the return electronic message to the operator; and automatically inputting the third party information in the input field of the return electronic message into the input field of the part of the electronic form.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein specifying a range of the part of the electronic form comprises copying the part of the electronic form.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein information concerning the partial form is acquired by a browser used for filling in the electronic form.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the information concerning the partial form is acquired using a command included in a context menu opened on the browser.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the third party information in the return electronic message includes a partial form identification code.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising displaying to the operator a user input button that, upon selection, causes the third party information in the return electronic message to be automatically input in the input field of the part of the electronic form.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein an identification code is assigned to a plurality of input fields in the partial form and wherein information in each of plurality of input fields in the returned electronic message are automatically input into a corresponding input field in the electronic form.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the partial form includes a supplemental input field comprising data relevant to determining information to be input into the input field of the return electronic message.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message and the return electronic message are email messages.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising temporarily storing information regarding the electronic form and the partial form when the electronic form is closed subsequent to the sending of the electronic message to the third party.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic form is accessible to the operator through a browser.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 1, 2012
December 22, 2015
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